CVE-2026-22981
BaseFortify
Publication date: 2026-01-23
Last updated on: 2026-04-02
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19 |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 6.7 (inc) to 6.18.6 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-476 | The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability in the Linux kernel's idpf driver involves improper handling of network device states during a reset. Before the fix, simultaneous hard and soft resets could cause the driver to lose the virtual port (vport) state, leaving network devices down and unable to recover properly. Additionally, if the reset failed, the network device remained exposed to external callbacks while its resources were uninitialized, leading to kernel crashes such as NULL pointer dereferences. The fix involves detaching and closing network devices before reset handling to protect the reset path from callbacks, ensuring proper resource deallocation and recovery or keeping devices down if recovery fails.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can cause network interfaces to become non-functional (remain down) after resets, disrupting network connectivity. In the worst case, it can lead to kernel crashes due to improper handling of device states and resources, potentially causing system instability or downtime. This can affect the reliability and availability of systems relying on the affected network driver.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability can be detected by observing the network interface states and kernel logs for signs of reset failures and crashes related to the idpf driver. You can use commands such as 'ip -br a' to check if interfaces unexpectedly go down after resets, and monitor kernel logs (e.g., using 'dmesg' or 'journalctl -k') for messages indicating hardware resets, firmware contact failures, or kernel NULL pointer dereferences related to idpf. For example, commands: 1) ip -br a 2) echo 1 > /sys/class/net/<interface>/device/reset 3) ethtool -L <interface> combined 8 4) dmesg | grep idpf
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Immediate mitigation involves ensuring that the idpf driver is updated to the fixed version that properly detaches and closes netdevs during reset handling to prevent crashes and state loss. Avoid performing simultaneous hard and soft resets on the affected interfaces until the fix is applied. Monitor and manage network interfaces carefully to prevent exposure to external callbacks during reset failures.